Midnight deadline passes for teachers to reach deals with school boards

Waterloo Region Record

TORONTO — The deadline for Ontario teachers to reach agreements with their local school boards passed at one minute before midnight.

Education Minister Laurel Broten now has the power under Bill 115 to impose contracts in cases where no deals have been reached, but the minister has not said if she plans to act today.

Broten says 65 ratified local agreements have been submitted so far and she’s hoping others will follow.

Bill 115 freezes the pay of most teachers, reduces their ability to bank sick days and limits their right to strike. It has prompted actions such as rotating one-day strikes by elementary teachers and withdrawing from extracurricular activities.

On Sunday, Broten announced a tentative deal with the Canadian Union of Public Employees which represents about 55,000 workers, including educational assistants, early childhood educators, instructors, custodians, librarians and secretaries.

CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn says the union remains opposed to Bill 115 and will continue its campaign to repeal it, which includes a legal challenge.